Fetish
by emz-imagine
Summary: Just when Laureline begins to make a name for herself, something from her past comes back to haunt her. It's now Valerian's job to help show Laureline what love is.
1. Chapter 1

"Laureline! You need to move faster, go south." Valerian was anxiously watching laureline's tracker on the screen above him while talking to her earpiece. This wasn't laureline's first mission alone, but it was the first time she was in serious danger and needless to say Valerian wasn't very comfortable just being behind a screen. "Valerian, I can handle this myself, stop panicking." Laureline said in an irritated voice. She was becoming sick and tired of Valerian not trusting her to go on these missions herself. The only reason he wasn't on the ground with her is because he is too recognisable and if he was noticed it would ruin the entire operation. After the pearls became fully settled back into their home, they made a public announcement about who helped them find justice and create their home planet. Even though they mentioned Laureline alongside Valerian it didn't make a difference, once again Valerian was considered the hero and Laureline was hidden in Valerian's shadow. Although Valerian's new found fame slightly annoyed Laureline at first, it did give her more opportunities to work on the ground by herself which throughly enjoyed. Of course Valerian and Laureline are still partners first and foremost, but he wasn't always the easiest person to work with. This mission was the first mission that was given to her directly and not through Valerian and she was determined not to fuck it up. She was back at the market in alpha because one of the vendors had been dealing illegal drugs, at first glance it was not the most exhilarating mission, but she was happy to take it as it marked the first step of making a name for herself and not just being 'Valerian's partner'. Laureline was walking through the market place when she finally came to her destination, she set her gun to stun and checked the stall to see if there was any contraband, there was nothing sitting on the stall except a selection of useless trinkets, she now just had too figure out how to get to the room underneath... "Can I help you miss?" Standing in front of her was a seven foot tall man with a grey beard down to his knees, piercing steel grey eyes and he was dressed in what could only be described as something a homeless man would wear. "No I'm just having a look around, thank you." Laureline put on her kindest voice and stared straight into the man's eyes, analysing him. "A beautiful girl like you shouldn't be wondering around by herself" He said in a predatory tone. "C'mon back I think I've got something you'd like..." He leaned across the stall so he was inches away from Laureline's face. "Dick." Laureline heard Valerian's voice through her earpiece, for once she completely agreed with him and she was extremely tempted to walk away...but she knew if she went back there she could easily get into the basement underneath the stall and this mission would be a success. Laureline put on her most flirtatious smile and answered "Please show me." She began to follow the perverted old man behind the stall when she heard Valerian panicking in her ear "Laureline what are you doing?" She couldn't answer him as the man with no name would hear. "Laureline I can see where you're walking don't do this we can find another way in." Valerian said in a concerned and anxiety filled voice. "Laureline listen to me get out of there now Alex said you're gun isn't working." Panic began to fill Laureline as she was following the man into a dark back room with only a few saturated neon lights to allow her vision. If her gun wasn't working that meant she would have to rely on her combat training, this man could easily overpower her but as long as she was fast a few pressure point punches and he would be down. She took a deep breath and continued into the dark room, nothing was going to stop her from completing this mission. "LAURELINE, what are you doing get out now!" Valerian now sounded as if he was about to have a panic attack, Laureline had never heard him so nervous and all she wanted to do was to answer him to give him some comfort, but her circumstances stopped her from doing so. She followed the man into the back corner of the neon drenched room to sit with him on a ratty old couch. The man's eyes wondered up her legs and she was regretting her choice to wear her grey dress today. "What did you want to show me." Laureline asked as flirtatiously as see could. You'll find out in a minute...Agent Laureline." Before she could respond the man grabbed her and positioned her so she was face down underneath him...just as she was about to kick him off and get out of there, she felt the unmistakable cold steel of a barrel of a gun pressing against her bare back. "I wouldn't try to fight it if I was you, especially since Agent Valerian here would be left without a partner." He painfully ripped the earpiece out of Laureline's ear and placed it in his own ear. "Hello Agent Valerian, how are you this fine day." He said with menace in his voice. "If you dare touch Laureline I swear you're a dead man walking." Valerian said in a low intimidating voice. "Well I'm touching her now, so I guess you better come kill me." He said in a mocking tone. All of a sudden the man took out the earpiece and held it next to Laureline's face, at first Laureline was confused, but then the man lowered his body on her back and the weight crushing her back made Laureline scream out in pain. He then placed the earpiece back in his ear. "Or maybe I'll kill her first." The humour in his voice made both Valerian and Laureline sick to their stomach. "Please, I can give you anything you want just stop hurting her." Valerian's said in a rare vulnerable voice. "Cmon Valerian I expected less of a cliché from you...shame we could of had some fun." He threw away the earpiece and laureline's heart dropped when she heard it smash...her lifeline was gone. Laureline was so in shock that up to this point she hadn't said a word. She was still being crushed by his body and was having difficulty breathing. Using all of her strength she let out a breathy, "Who are you?" There was a tension filled silence before he lent down a whispered in her ear "Someone from your past life."


	2. Chapter 2

Valerian felt as if he was frozen to his seat. He just got cut off from Laureline and all he could feel is shock. Despite what Laureline may tell you, he did truly love her more than anyone else and he couldn't believe that he would let something happen to her under his watch. He had never been in this position before, it was always the other way around.(Even though they have been in multiple positions together...but besides the point.) He was thinking about the last thing he said to her before she left for her mission, they were having a fight because Laureline wanted to call off the wedding. She said that it 'wasn't the right time' but there never seems to be a 'right' time for her. Valerian turned and began to walk to towards the door, he refused to think about the worst case scenario and was determined to get Laureline back alive. He was not going to let their last face to face interaction be him shouting angrily at her. "Alex, be on standby I'm going after Laureline." Valerian said in a serious tone. "As you wish Major." Alex said in her computerised voice. Valerian left the ship with his gun in hand and practically ran towards the market. When he finally reached the market place he set his gun to invisible so he could blend in with the tourists. He put on his glasses so he could see into the market's dimension, just as he was about to walk through the gate, he suddenly got pulled to the side and before he could grab his gun something from behind struck him across the head. The pain was too much and all of a sudden Valerian's vision turned black and he collapsed to the ground. Valerian's last thought before he passed out was he had to find Laureline.


	3. Chapter 3

Valerian stomped into his bathroom to take a cold shower, it was the third time today he tried to...get things going with Laureline but he was not successful. In fact Laureline had barely touched him in the past week, it was like all of a sudden something switched in her and she became cold. Just as he was about to turn the handle to turn the water on, it turned and began walking towards Laureline's room. He was going to confront her and find out what was going on.

He burst through the door of her room with more force than he anticipated, luckily he heard the water running in her bathroom which meant she was in the shower. He took a glance over her room, it was filled with objects from France and had surprising amount of colour: turquoise, maroon, faded orange and hints of gold filled the room. The only furniture in the room was all crafted from dark mahogany wood and it consisted of a pair of chest of drawers, a chest and a single bedside cabinet.

Even though all of Laureline's clothes that she wears are kept in an automated wardrobe, the chest of drawers contains clothes from her past life. Laureline could barely remember her family or anything to do with her old life in France, so sometimes she would look at the clothes or the objects to feel some sort of connection.

As Valerian stared at her bed which was positioned at the centre back of the room, he thought about the stark contrast between both of their bedrooms. Laureline's room had so much warmth and character, whereas Valerian's mainly consisted of grey steel and gave off a harsh military tone.

Valerian was so lost in his thoughts he didn't realise that Laureline had got out of the shower and had been calling his name. "Valerian!" Laureline yelled. Valerian life's his gaze to look at Laureline...she was wrapped in a white towel with her hair and body still wet, this was not helping Valerian overcome his current problem.

"Valerian what's wrong?" Laureline had started to walk towards him with a concerned look on his face. Valerian snapped back to reality and looked straight into Laureline's blue/green eyes.

"Laureline why won't you touch me?" Valerian didn't mean to be so blunt, but that didn't hide the hint of annoyance in his voice.

Laureline's face remained blank as she reached out and slapped him on his arm. "There I touched you." Her face was now crumpled into a look of anger and annoyance as she walked away from him to enter her wardrobe. She shut the door behind her but Valerian knew she could still hear him.

"Laureline this isn't a joke, you haven't even kissed me in a week!" Valerian was now becoming extremely pissed off and he wasn't in the mood to play her games. There was silence from the other side of the door.

"Laureline just tell me what's wrong I'm not a mind reader." Valerian said in an annoyed tone. "Really with all your skills I'm shocked." Laureline said in a mock surprised voice. "Laureline please just come out so we can talk about this." Laureline emerged from the wardrobe in her grey dress, she was getting ready for a mission and had to blend in with tourists.

"Valerian I don't want to talk about it." Her voice had softened and she had sadness in her eyes. She turned to walk away but Valerian caught her arm and turned her around.

"There's something you're not telling me, please just talk to me." Laureline walked forward, wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her forehead against his. She brought one of her hands up to caress his cheek as she took a deep breath. She knew what she was about to say was going to hurt him and that was the last thing she wanted to do, but she knew that keeping him in the dark like this was hurting him more.

"Valerian...I-I don't want to get married." Laureline was trying her best not to choke up. When she found the courage to look in Valerian's eyes she saw the the pain that radiated out of them and hated herself for being the one that caused it. Valerian pushed away from her and at her straight on.

"Why?" Valerian kept a straight face...he was shutting down like he always did when he was hurt. Laureline felt the tears sting her eyes but her voice stayed strong as she said "I'm just not ready." Valerian looked at her with a mix of anger and disbelief.

"You're not ready?" Valerian said sarcastically. "Well then I don't know when you will be ready Laureline, I mean it's not like we've worked together as partners for years, it's not like we've saved each other's life and nearly died together."

A single tear rolled down Laureline's cheek and Valerian immediately softened. "I'm sorry for getting mad, if that's what you want then I guess we're back to just being partners...nothing else." Laureline quickly stepped forward and started to explain herself. "No, I don't want to go back to just being partners, I just..."

Laureline was cut off by Alex's computerised voice. " Sergeant Laureline please retrieve you're gun and prepare for descent. Major Valerian please take your position at the board." Valerian's face immediately changed into an emotionless front as he turned into his professional self.

"Come on, we have a job to do." Valerian said in a cold voice, as he turned to walk away it was now Laureline's turn to grab his arm.

"You can't just walk away like nothing happened." Valerian looked at her with the same cold face but his voice showed his true anger. "Laureline incase you have forgotten we are first and foremost Agents and partners and right now we both have a job to do so I suggest you get into position!"

"Laureline had never known him to be so harsh, she could only let out a meek "okay." As she retrieved her gun and waited for the door to open. When the door opened Valerian didn't even look at her as he handed her the earpiece.

She took one last look at Valerian before she walked out the door. He didn't look back at her so all she saw was the back of his head as he stared at the screen.

She closed her eyes and took one final deep breath before walking outside.


End file.
